14 DAY TRIAL // Netflix and Hulu are rapidly expanding across the world, but they’re not doing this at a fast-enough rate, it seems. This appears to be one of the reasons why a proxy for these sites was born in Iceland.
Now, the site is being targeted by anti-piracy groups representing the movie industry. According to claims, the service provider is illegal under copyright law, which means it needs to be taken down, TorrentFreak reports.
The proxy basically lets users digitally travel to the United States and watch Hulu and Netflix, working just like any other proxy. Of course, services dedicated to Netflix and Hulu aren’t exactly new in town, but this one in particular is making a lot of waves.
And that’s because it was created by an Icelandic telco called Tal. “We want an Internet that is open and accessible to all, no matter where in the world they are born or residing. We want things to be simple and easy to use so that you can do what you really want. Therefore, we have added a little luxury to your network,” the company said.
The organization that wants to take down the site is the MPA-affiliated Association of Film Rights-Holders of Iceland. They claim the site is illegal, while Tal argues they are simply offering a tool that is then used by people however they see fit. “The use of foreign content providers and websites is always the responsibility of the customer,” Tal’s director said in a comment.
The anti-piracy group isn’t buying it and claims this is the exact same argument they have with torrent sites. If the ISP will not cooperate, the case will be taken straight to the police, the organization threatens. This could lead to a long legal battle for the ISP, but it would also set a precedent if the case goes in Tal's favor.